Structures such as houses and buildings may include an attic into which various components of the structure are located. For example, a heating ventilating and cooling unit may be present in the attic of a structure along with various ventilation conduits, utility cables, piping and insulation. Although unsuitable as a living space, the attic of a house or business may be utilized for the storage of goods.
Problems may exist in the storage of goods in attics. For example, the floor of an attic may not be a flat surface onto which a person can rest or walk. In this regard, various ceiling joists may be present throughout the attic with insulation disposed therebetween. Arrangement of these ceiling joists and associated insulation makes movement across the attic difficult and dangerous. Further, portions of the attic may not be safe or include sufficient strength for supporting an individual. Additionally, electrical lines or cables may be run throughout the attic and may not be easily visible to the individual thus providing a tripping hazard. Still further, equipment, beams, and/or piping may be present in the attic and may block access to other portions of the attic thus eliminating its use as storage space.
Conditions in an attic are also varied. For example, rafters can be located proximate to the ceiling joists. Although plywood can be placed on top of the ceiling joists to form a floor, the storage of goods may be frustrated through the presence of rafters in this area. Further, the height of the ceiling joists may be varied thus negating the possibility of forming a floor onto the ceiling joists or mounting some other structure thereon for storage purposes.
Residences and commercial buildings may also include a crawl space located beneath the living space of the structure. Like the attic, the crawl space can include various equipment and piping thus limiting the ability of a person to traverse through the crawl space. In a similar manner to the attic, the ability to store goods in the crawl space may be hampered by the inability to move throughout the crawl space or access certain portions thereof. As such, with respect to the storage of goods within a structure there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention.